Electric accumulator for handlamps



Aug. 23, 1927. 1

C. R. FOWLER ET AL ELECTRIC AccUMULAToR FOR HANDLAMPS Filed sept. 25. 1925 Patented Aug. 23, 1927. I 1,640,119

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES RUPERT FOWLER AND EDRIC MIIJU'RIN' ROBERTS, OF BULLI, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA. l

Y ELECTRIC ACCUMULATOR Foa HAN'D'LAMPS.

Application filed September 25, 1925, Serial No. 58,554, `and in Australia April 22, 1925.

This invention relates to accumulators for An embodiment. of the invention is dcminers or other electric hand lamps emscribed hereinafter with reference to the ploying a liquid electrolyte (usually dilute accompanying drawings which depict an sul'phuric acid) or a solidified electrolyte. accumulator-including the-above mentioned A diiculty hitherto experiencedV has been features and other features in whichthe 60 to provide a constant vent for the escape of invention resides as will be ascertained from fumes and at the same time prevent the the description. The drawings depict the escape of liquid electrolyte if the lamp or invention as applied to an accumulator emaccumuiator be shaken, knocked over, perploying plates'of ordinary cylindrical form lo mitted to fall or otherwise be more or less and length, extension pieces being provided 65 so violently handled or so positioned as to to connect the pole-pieces with the contacts. splash the electrolyte out from or permit it In the drawings: to How through the vent. It is found that Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of with a so called solidified electrolyte a sepan accumulator according to our invention,

aration occurs and a layer of liquid (acid) With certain internal parts shown in dotted 70 forms on the top of the remaining more or lines; f less solid portion and that this liquid is Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, and liable to splash or flow out through the Vent. Fig. 3 a plan View on line 3.3. of Fig. 2.

The present invention is devised withthe The? casing 4 is, as regards its lower 2o object of overcoming the difliculty and of portion, of usual size and slliape for the re- 75 providing an accumulator so constructed and ception of the cylindrical positive and negavented that while the escape of fumes is tive plates 5 and 6 respectively which are unrestricted it is practically impossible to supported upon a cross-piece 7 fitted loosely either splash or spill the electrolyte through in the bottom of the casing, said cross-piece the vent. being hollowed out as at 8 on its underside 80 lVth this object our invention consists in to accommodate sediment. an accumulator comprising a case or con- Centrally in the top 9 of the casing is tainer of Celluloid or other suitable material litted a short vent tube 1() which at its for the reception of positive and negative inner end enters the cup-shaped chamber 11 plates and of the electrolyte and provided sea-led about its upper edge to the casing- 85 with venting means comprising a tube passtop 9. Connected to the bottom of chamber ing through the closed top, a cup shaped ll is a tube 12, the lower end of which is chamber or receptacle secured to and mak lOCatcd above the normal level of the elecing a Huid-tight joint with the underside of tlolytefas indicated by the numeral 13.

the container top, and a tube extending The upper portion of the casing 4 above so downwardly from the lower end of said rethe normal electrolyte level is so formed ceptacle to a point above the normal level that its effective capacity is sutlicient to conot the electrolyte, the lower end of the last tain the Whole of the normal quantity of mentioned tube being protected by a battle. electrolyte without submerging the inner Our invention also consists in an accumu- (lower) end of tube 12 should the casing be 95 lator vented as aforesaid in which the conlaid horizontally or be completely inverted. tainer is so formed that the upper por To obtain this result the length ofthe casing tion (i. e. above the normal level of the may be increased, but in order not to unduly electrolyte) is of suificient capacity to reincrease the total length, the preferred conceive the whole of the normal quantity of struction is (as shown) increased diameter 10c electrolyte should the container be inverted and increased length. or laid horizontally without submerging the This increased length necessitates the eminner end ofthe vent tube. ployment (in the construction shown) of The two before mentioned features are eXtension-pieceslA and 14 connecting the interdependent, the position of the inner end poles 15 and lof the positive and negative 105 of the vent-tube regulating the diametric plates 5 and 6 respectively with the spring dimension of the upper part of the con= contacts 16 and 16 of known type screwed tainer, and vice-versa, the shorter the vent? on to the upper ends of the extension pieces. tube, the greater must be the diameter of The upper ends of the extension pieces are the upper part of the container. formed as screwed spigots which pass 110 lll through the casing-top 9, while their lower ends are formed as sockets screwed on to the plate pole pieces.

Fixed centrally in the casing 1l and secured to the cross-piece 7 is a sealed tubular filler 17 ha ing a dished top 1S. This filler serves to diminish the capacity of the lower part of the casing l without involving a consequential diminution oi' the superficial areas of the plates, and also has another function inasmuch as its dished top serves as a baille preventing direct upward splash et electrolyte into the tube 12 should the accumulator be violently agitated.

ln' the top of the casing 4 are two filler 7 Ags 19 ancL 19 disposed in dianietricaily V)osito arrangement for purposes well lzrown in the art.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An electric accumulator which comprises a casing` or container holding a body of electrolyte and annular positive and negative plates submerged in said electrolyte and connecten respectively to external contacts, ventingmeans comprising a cup shaped chamber making fluidvtight contact at its upper edge with the inside ot the top ot the casing, an outer tube p seing through the casing top into said chamber, and an inner tube extending' downwardly from the bottom of said chamber, the lower `end ot' said inner tube terminating above the normal level ot the electrolyte a cross piece iu the bottoni of the casing and on which said plates are arranged and a sealed tubular filler arranged on the center ot the cross piece and within the inner annular plate, said Vliller having a dished top arranged under and spaced from the lower vend ot the inner tube of said cup so that said filler forms a batlie.

Signed at Sydney, New South `Wales, this fifteenth day of August, A. D. 1925,

CHARLES RUPERT FOVVLER. EDRIC MILBURN ROBERTS. 

